Thelma Mariano

Article

Life Satisfaction Quiz

To determine your degree of life satisfaction, answer True or False to the following. I enjoy getting out of bed most mornings, as I look forward to starting the day. I see the problems in my life as challenges which I can learn from. I am usually able to focus on what I am doing and feel energetic. I experience a high level of satisfaction in my work. I have a sense of meaning and purpose in my life. I do not dwell on my past or future but am able to live fully in the presen

July 16, 2009

Article

Do You Procrastinate?

You’re about to begin an important project --- and suddenly all the chores you’ve been ignoring demand immediate attention. This happens whenever I head towards my computer for some serious writing. Dishes, laundry, plants that need repotting – anything and everything keeps me from my desk.nnAccording to recent studies, we ALL procrastinate. For twenty percent of us, it is a chronic problem in our lives. Procrastination makes us feel weak or indecisive&#8230

October 15, 2007

Article

Romance - Can It Last

I’m a sucker for romance. I love movies where boy meets girl, boy loses girl and, against all odds, they find their way back to each other. Or films about star-crossed lovers, as in Bridges of Madison County, who return to their separate lives forever changed.nnIn real life, though, I have learned to be wary of my own longing to be swept away. It’s fun being pursued by an ardent admirer and flattering to be wined and dined in style. But after a few months I ask my

October 15, 2007

Article

Keeping the Dream Alive

Like the song by Linda Ronstadt, “a dream is a wish that your heart makes." To lose a dream is to die a little yourself. It means closing down the part of you that can soar above the reality of your current life to see new and exciting possibilities. nnnWhenever she walks down a street, a friend of mine notices details of architecture, shapes and colors. As a child she fantasized about being an interior designer, but her parents, Italian immigrants, discouraged her from

June 20, 2007

Article

Talk Back to Your Inner Critic

Think of a small, vulnerable child. You yell at her, tell her she’s always making a mess and that she’ll never amount to anything. Does this make her shape up and do better? No! She shrinks into her little corner, afraid to make another move. Or maybe she lashes out at you in anger. nnInside you is the child you were. Every time you criticize yourself, you cringe.nnDo you call yourself names like “stupid” when things go wrong? Or make damaging generali

June 20, 2007

Article

After You Retire

The day has finally arrived. You just said goodbye to your colleagues and now you are retired. For years you dreamed of this - being able to stay up late, sleep in when you choose, go on vacation during what USED to be your busiest period at work. nnWhat’s it really like? nnMost people feel euphoria when they taste the freedom that comes with their first pension cheque. Their time is now their own, to do what they want WHEN they want. After six months or so, though, if

June 20, 2007

Article

Single in a Couple's World

Advertising for St. Valentine’s Day seemed more relentless than ever this year. Everywhere I turned, I saw candy hearts or jewelry glistening in store displays. Radio announcers drummed the message home through constant promotions of dinner for two. There was no one “special” in my life. I had been working hard on my home-based business, running two personal development programs and then writing well into the night, week after week, to expand my website cont

June 20, 2007

Article

The Bright Side of Loneliness

Recently a romantic relationship came to an end and I found myself alone again. The minutes, the hours now felt empty. For three weeks I sat beside a silent phone, rehashing the past and coming to terms with my loss. After the warmth and intimacy of love, my loneliness felt like a great abyss that I could not escape.nnI do not allow myself to indulge in self-pity – so my next reaction was to ask “what now?” Looking back, I saw that I had invested so much tim

June 20, 2007

Article

Romance-Can It Last?

I’m a sucker for romance. I love movies where boy meets girl, boy loses girl and, against all odds, they find their way back to each other. Or films about star-crossed lovers, as in Bridges of Madison County , who return to their separate lives forever changed.nnIn real life, though, I have learned to be wary of my own longing to be swept away. It’s fun being pursued by an ardent admirer and flattering to be wined and dined in style. But after a few months I ask myself if

November 25, 2004

Article

The Bright Side of Loneliness

Recently a romantic relationship came to an end and I found myself alone again. The minutes, the hours now felt empty. For three weeks I sat beside a silent phone, rehashing the past and coming to terms with my loss. After the warmth and intimacy of love, my loneliness felt like a great abyss that I could not escape.nn nI do not allow myself to indulge in self-pity – so my next reaction was to ask “what now?” Looking back, I saw that I had invested so much time and ener

September 19, 2004

Article

Learning to Trust Again

Eleven o’clock on a weeknight I found myself phoning a man whom I’d recently met. We had been talking regularly and I just wanted to hear the sound of his voice.nnNo answer. After four rings his answering machine kicked in and I hung up. How strange. This man made a point of staying home during the week in order to get up at 5:00 a.m. for work. “Call me any time before midnight,” he had suggested. “I’m usually reading or listening to music.”nnThere could only be

August 14, 2004

Article

Eight Keys to Happiness

I visit my mother in a nursing home several days a week. Each time I leave I am grateful for being able to walk into the bright sunshine on my own two legs. There are so many things to be thankful for in my life – among them good health, my skills and abilities and caring relationships. I find that stopping to appreciate what I have helps me to stay positive and has a direct impact on how happy I feel. nnA recent global survey published in USA Today indicates that the bigge

July 2, 2004

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Everything You Can Be - Life Coaching

Find clarity and direction through on-line coaching. Recognize your unique gifts and overcome personal blocks in order to achieve your dreams.

September 23, 2007

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Everything You Can Be - Life Coaching

September 23, 2007